“Oil spill is a huge disaster, Senate team says, calls for compensation of Makueni residents”

The Senate Committee on Energy has called for medical screening of primary and secondary school students in Thange area of Makueni County for possible poisoning following a massive oil spill…A pipeline managed by Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) burst and leaked its contents for months undetected, thus polluting the river and the surrounding environment.

The senators described the pollution in the area, including in farms and wells, as “a huge environmental disaster”. “We are shocked by the level of contamination of water sources. As a committee we take this very seriously and we will work with all stakeholders to arrive at a lasting solution,” Senator Moi said. He added that independent assessors would be commissioned to evaluate the extent of the pollution. KPC has appointed Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS) Kenya Ltd to carry out an environmental, social and economic impact assessment. “The loss of livelihoods must be adequately compensated,” said the senator.